I guide us away from the craft booths to the shade of a tree. In the distance, kids play catch in front of the empty concert stage while others run around shooting each other with water guns. A few picnic blankets dot the grass, and a dog runs off leash with what looks like a stolen sandwich in its mouth.
“He’s a really good guy. I’m happy for him and Wren and wish them all the best.”
Reed still frowns as if he’s considering stalking through town until he finds him. It’s sweet but totally unnecessary.
“Nothing bad happened. Shepherd and I just didn’t click. I think I was too cheerful for him.” My laugh comes out high-pitched. Reed’s even more my opposite than Shepherd was. He could have similar thoughts about my core personality trait. “I probably annoyed him.”
I don’t really know what went wrong, but Shepherd was too good a guy to be hurtful when he broke things off with me. He ended our relationship in the gentlest way possible—ten out of ten, would get dumped by him again. Obviously, I was sad about it in the immediate aftermath, but eventually I could admit thatwe didn’t quite work. When I found out through Sunshine’s usual gossip channels that he was dating—and ultimately planning to marry—Wren Krause, I really was happy he’d found his person.
I’ve seen them together. He never lit up like that when I was with him, like I was his whole world.Thatwas the part that made me envious. Wanting someone to look at me the same way he looked at Wren.
“You don’t annoyme,” Reed grumbles.
I can’t help my quick laugh. “I absolutely do annoy you.”
He frowns harder as if he might argue, but he must see the teasing in my eyes. His mouth tugs into the biggest smile I’ve seen from him yet. I even get a peek of white teeth. It’s dazzling and open and beautifully unexpected. My heart does a full cartwheel in appreciation.
“Fine. You do annoy me. But…I like it when you annoy me.” He steps closer, his gaze drifting over my face. “You’re bright sunshine and wildflowers and stars in the darkest night. You’re hope and optimism and joy. I’m not those things. But I wouldn’t want you any other way, firefly.”
I don’t think my lungs are working as I gaze up at him. I’m nothing but a tangle of butterflies and nervous energy, my brain furiously working to memorize those honey-sweet words.
His eyes have gone full romance novel hero, black pupil overtaking the chocolate brown like it never plans to give up the real estate. He leans forward, or maybe I do. All I know is, we’re drawn together, his sweet, gently smiling face the only thing I see.
Which is probably why I don’t notice the kids running by with squirt guns until they’ve soaked us.
19
reed
Kids are the worst.
Rose and I are drenched, the sides of our faces and torsos taking the brunt of the spray. Two young boys dart away with their huge plastic water guns, laughing over their perfect shots. They probably need to reload after unleashing all that.
Rose stares up at me, frozen. For a second, I’m worried she’s about to burst into tears. But it’s laughter that has her shoulders shaking. The joyful sound loosens my muscles, easing the tension that had set in.
“I don’t think we deserved that.” She runs a hand over her face, dripping onto her shirt. The side of her head is wet, and she squeezes strands of her hair between her fingers.
“Iknowwe didn’t.” I rake my hand through my hair a few times, shaking it out. I scan the park grounds, but our assailants are nowhere to be seen. “Kids have disappeared.”
“You think they were going to stick around and risk getting caught by you?” She flaps the side of her shirt, keeping it from clinging to her skin. At least in this heat, the fabric should dry quickly. Not much of a consolation.
“I wasn’t going to do anything to them. I just want to have aword or two about manners.” I could be rotten when I was a kid, too, but I still wouldn’t have tried anything like this.
“Just looking at them wrong would have been a threat from you. You’re scary.”
It’s not the first time I’ve heard something like that. I don’t try to be menacing—mostly—but people can take a lack of a smile as an implied threat. Along with my height and build, it’s not hard to scare people off. Even ones I’d rather draw in.
“Are you afraid of me?” It comes out too rough to be teasing, but I need to know the answer. I don’t want her to be nervous around me for any reason.
Her defiant grin tugs at something deep in my chest. “Never. You’re all bark.”
I suspect she’s always known that. From the moment Rose first walked into Perk Me Up, she had my number. No matter how much I scowled and growled, my gruff demeanor couldn’t fool her. Maybe that’s what I liked about her from the start.
“You’ve got—” She reaches up, her fingers moving along my hairline at my temple, her thumb hovering in front of my face. “Close your eyes.”
I obey instantly. Her thumb gently glides over my eyelashes, freeing water droplets along with a shiver through my limbs. She traces a similar path across my cheekbone, sweeping the wetness away. My breath hitches at that soft little touch, silently begging for more.
“You can open again.” Her hand still cups my face, her thumb slowly gliding along my beard line before she drops it away. “You’ve got crazy thick eyelashes.”
